


Xani Toes

by Elektra Pendragon (elekdragon)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton
Genre: Childhood, Cute, Gen, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-23
Updated: 2005-07-23
Packaged: 2017-10-17 07:24:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/174341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elekdragon/pseuds/Elektra%20Pendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sweet moment from Xanatos's early years at the Temple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Xani Toes

**Author's Note:**

> The written "K'wy-Gon" is my estimation of how my nephew pronounced Qui-Gon when he was 3. Most of the dialog is straight from the boy's mouth.

"K'wy-Gon, hep me! I need hep!"

At first Qui-Gon didn't know what to make of the strange summons, or whether the child was yelling for him or not, but when it came again, the Force pulled him to go to the child. Qui-Gon was helping Ali-Alann herd a small mass of three- and four-year-old initiates out of the creche and into a small transport. All the Temple children were required to attend the knighting of the Padawans, for today's Knights could be these children's masters later. The two dozen other children were already following Ali-Alaan, so Qui-Gon ran to help the last one.

The room first appeared empty, but from the corner of Qui-Gon's eye he caught a slight shadow of movement. Instantly, he rushed to help.

Looking down at a ruffled pile of initiate tunics, Qui-Gon found a young boy with black hair and ice-chip eyes all but in tears, his small bare feet dangling over the large Jedi boots. Qui-Gon knew the boy, for only a week earlier he had brought the three-year-old to the Temple himself. His heart squeezed in his chest to see the usually happy child reduced to near tears. "Xanatos, what's wrong?"

The young boy sniffed a little, then kicked his feet at the floor. "Swoos, K'wy. Hep me wit my swoos."

Qui-Gon was a Jedi Knight. He knew several languages, had contact with hundreds of civilizations, but his experience with children was limited. Swoos? Hep? For a few seconds, Qui-Gon stared at the human boy as though he were an alien. His mind mulled over the words until the boy glared at the boots on the floor, then up at Qui-Gon. "K'wy! Hep. Me. Wit. My. SWOOS!" His smooth brow furrowed under his black hair, and with one toe he nudged the top of his boot against Qui-Gon's leg.

'Help me with my shoes.' Understanding came swift and smooth, and Qui-Gon felt a warm rush at the boy's trust in him. Most of the children were a little intimidated by the strange Knight who was helping their caretaker, but Xanatos was more comfortable with Qui-Gon than anyone else. It seemed the bond he'd formed with the boy as they traveled to the Temple together was still stronger than the bond with his caretaker. The thought bothered Qui-Gon a little, but the trusting eyes made him feel indulgent.

"Of course I'll help, Xanatos." One of the hardest lessons for the new initiates was learning the trick of the Jedi boots. For a child not used to such stiff and complicated footware, it was even more difficult. Gently, he took one tiny foot into his palm. As he slipped on the thick sock, he spoke to the boy. "How are you doing?" Xanatos shrugged his shoulders, more interested in observing the job Qui-Gon was doing with his socks. "Do you like Ali-Alaan?" Xanatos shifted his face to the side and started to kick his foot absently out of Qui-Gon's grasp.

Qui-Gon remained silent, patiently watching the young child's face crinkle. When the ice-blue eyes returned to his face, Qui-Gon was surprised by the tears in them. "When do I go home?" Xanatos asked.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes, unable to meet that sad gaze. It had been difficult for Xanatos's father, Crion, to let his son go, but Qui-Gon convinced him that sending the boy to the Temple would be the best thing for everyone. Most Force-sensitives were found before their first birthday, tested and taken to the Temple before they became too attached to their families. The Order was their family. But for the rare cases of older children, the transition could be disorienting at the least. A whisper of guilt for removing Xanatos from the security of his established life was overruled by the shouts of how right it was to have the boy trained here.

Qui-Gon opened his eyes to see the tender blue melt behind a wall of mournful tears. "This is your home now, Xanatos. You will live here, and learn more than you can imagine. You have a great destiny before you. I can feel it. You will be a Jedi."

Xanatos tried to control his tears, stiffening his chin and straightening his back. Qui-Gon could see that Xanatos wanted to make Qui-Gon happy, but he could also see Xanatos missed his father.

"You know what my caretaker used to do when he'd help me with my boots?" Qui-Gon asked, smiling widely. Xanatos mutely shook his head. Lifting the still-bare foot, Qui-Gon held Xan's little toe between his forefinger and thumb. Wiggling it a little, he started to sing.

"This little Jedi went to Malastarre." Xanatos smiled a little, and Qui moved to the next toe. "This little Jedi stayed at the Temple..." Xanatos sucked in his lips, a bit of laughter catching in his throat.

"This little Jedi had a muja fruit, but this little Jedi had none." A small giggle escaped from Xanatos's lips, his face scrunching up with amusement. Qui-Gon held his big toe, wiggling it just a little before ticking the underside of his foot with the ending of the little song. "And *this* little Jedi went Wee! Wee! Wee! all the way home."

Xanatos fell back in the chair, kicking his foot and giggling uncontrollably. Qui-Gon couldn't resist laughing as well, avoiding the flailing feet and arms. When he finally calmed down, Qui-Gon dangled the last sock from his fingers. Xanatos held up his bare foot, a big smile across his face as he stayed still. Once both boots were properly buckled, Qui-Gon helped Xanatos off the chair.

"We'll have to hurry to catch up. We don't want to miss the knighting."

A small hand slipped into his own, curling around two of his fingers. Qui-Gon stopped, then looked down at the little boy. He smiled up at him, leaning against Qui-Gon's side as naturally as if he'd done it all his life. For a strange moment, Qui-Gon could almost see the connection between, strands of the Force multihued and nebulous, drawing them close, knotting around their fingers.

When Qui-Gon didn't immediately start walking, Xanatos swung their hands, tugging the tall Jedi Knight along. "C'mon, K'wy! Don' be late!"

Qui-Gon squeezed the little hand in his, then allowed himself to be moved forward.


End file.
